Tool box



Nov. 6, 1923. 1,473,319

, s. P. RAY

TOOL BOX Filed Sept. 25. 1922 WITNESSES INVENTOR Jdizug S Qay,

A TTORA/E VS rammed No 6, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

STERLING P. BAY, OF URICH, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0 FRANCIS M.

KEMP, OF URICH, MISSOURI.

TOOL BOX.

Application filed September 25, 1922. Serial No. 590,425.

To all to]: on:- it play concern.

Be it known that I, STERLING P. RAY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Urich, in the county of Henry and State of Missouri. have invented certain new and useful Improvements in- Tool Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to tool boxes for use on the running boards of automobiles or the like, and the object of the invention is to provide a tool box of this character which is of extremely simple and durable construction, which is attractive in appearance, and which serves to properly contain and house the tools.

Another object is to provide a device of this character which may be readily applied to the running board of an automobile and which is so organized with the body portion and with the running board that it requires the use of a minimum amount of material, thereby enabling the device to be economically constructed, the device being at the same time of strongand durable construction.

Other objects and advantages of the invention reside in certainnovel features of the construction, combination and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view, showing the tool box embodying the invention assembled with the running board of an automobile, parts being broken away for the sake of illustration;

Figure 2 is a View in central vertical section through the tool box and the organized parts of an automobile.

Referring to the drawings, wherein for the sake of illustration is shown the preferred embodiment of the invention, the nu- 'meral 10 designates generally an automobile which is provided with the usual running board 12. Between the running board and the body of the vehicle the usual bowed mud guard 13 is arranged. The tool box which constitutes the present invention comprises a casing or housing, designated generally at 14 and made up of end plates or walls 15 and an integral top wall 16. It is to be under stood however that although the wall 16 is shown as formed integral with the walls 15 it may also be formed separately and soldered or welded to the end plates.

The end walls 15 are flanged, as at 17, the flanged edges of the end walls bearing against the curved mud guard 13 and the adjacent portion of the body of the vehicle. Also the lower ends of the walls 15 are notched, as at 15 in order to accommodate the longitudinal rib 12 of the running board 12, and this arrangement serving also to brace and hold the end plates in position. In order to positively secure the end plates in position, attaching lugs 18 are fastened to the end walls and lie flush against the mud guard 13 and are riveted or otherwise suitably secured to said mud gaurd. The top wall 16 is also flanged, as at 19 and 20, the flange 19 resting on the running board 12 and the flange 20 being riveted or otherwise secured, as at 21, to the body of the automobile. The top wall 16 has a relatively large opening 22 cut therein, this opening giving to the top wall the form of a substantially open frame. Along the top and bottom edges of the opening in the cover member 16 the metal of the cover member is doubled back on itself, as indicated at 23, so as to give to the top frame strength and rigidity.

A swinging cover 25 is hinged, as at 26, to the top frame and comprises a curved imperforate plate corresponding in contour to the top of the top or cover frame 16 and adapted to lie up close against the cover frame in closed position. The upper edge of the cover 25 has an inwardly ofi'set lip 27 integrally formed therewith and engaging the adjacent portion of the underside of the top or cover frame 16 in closed position and the lower end of the cover overlaps the top or cover frame 16 below the opening 22 therein so as to providefor a complete closure for the tool boxiwhen the cover is in closed position. A keeper 28 is fixed to the top frame 16 and in the closed positionof the cover projects through a slot 29 formed in the cover so that the keeper may coact with a pad lock 30 to lock the cover closed.

'Withm the tool box inclined shelves 31 and. 31 are arranged. The shelf 31 is provided along its side edges with flanges 32 and 33 and provided at its ends with flanges 34, these flanges being secured to the end plates 15 and serving to brace and strengthen the shelf and also to give to the shelf the form of a tray so that it is better adapted to contain the tools or accessories received therein. The shelf 31 is provided with flanges 35 and 36 having advantages similar to the flanges 32 and 33 of the shelf 31 but the end flanges are omitted from the shelf 31 and in general this shelf is of such construction and design as to receive tools of lighter construction, the inclination of the shelves providing for the retention of the articles placed on the shelves and prevents the vibration of the machine from jogging such articles off the shelves.

With this tool box the comprehended portions of the body, mud guard and running board constitute walls of the box and thus the material that might otherwise be necessary to provide for a complete receptacle or box is saved and at the same time the box occupies less space and is better organized with the vehicle upon which it is used. Moreover the comprehended portion of the running board provides an enclosed shelf upon which accessories or tools may be placed.

I claim:

1. A tool box for use with automobiles having a body, a running board and a mud guard between the running board and the body, said tool box comprising a casing having end plates provided with flanges engaging the mud guard and the adjacent portion of the body and a top frame integral with the end plates and having flanges engaging the running board and the body, sald end plates having attaching lugs fastened to the mud guard, said to frame being substantially open, a cover inged to the top frame, said cover having an inwardly offset lip fitting under the adjacent portion of the top frame in the closed position thereof, the lower end of said cover overlapping said top frame in closed position, and a plurality of shelves arranged within the casing and secured to the end walls of the casing and to the mud guard.

52. A tool box for use on automobiles having a body, a running board and a mud guard between the running board and the body, said tool box comprising a casing including end plates secured to the mud guard and resting on the running board, the portion of the running board comprehended between the end plates constituting the bottom of the tool box, a top frame integral with the end plates, said top frame being substantially open, a swinging cover adapted to close the substantially open top frame or to leave the same open to permit of access to the interior of the box and a plurality of shelves extending lengthwisebetween and secured to the end plates and arranged in spaced relation above the bottom of the tool box.

STERLING P. RAY. 

